Fine tuning the new VT-Flex 435 means letting it get to know the field and all its facets and dimensions
Vertical tillage isn’t new. The machines gained a toehold in the 1990s when Manitoba’s Todd Botterill brought some Salford demonstration units west.
Today, nearly every short-line manufacturer offers VT equipment.
After all these years, people have yet to devise a firm definition of VT or a definitive recommendation on how to use VT. Some growers see it only as a means to break down and bury tough BT corn stalks. Others say it’s a machine to help dry out saturated soils in a wet year, while others say it’s a low-disturbance machine that leaves standing stubble and preserves soil moisture.
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Most farmers who have VT machines have their own ideas of how to use it.
Now, engineers are fine tuning their designs to give operators greater control of the in-soil working tool. The new VT-Flex 435 vertical till tool from Case IH is a good example.
At speeds up to nine miles per hour, The VT-Flex 435 has variable gang angle adjustment on the go. This lets the operator quickly and precisely tune what the tool is doing to the soil.
Case’s Chris Lursen says the new VT should match a variety of soil management conditions. Changing the settings without wasting time means an operator is more likely to pay greater attention to what’s happening behind the tractor. Running a cultivator is no longer a menial task. It’s been elevated to a new level of responsibility.
“Whether you’re looking to size residue and preserve soils or mix the most stubborn crop residue, field preparation is simplified with quick adjustment to gang angles,” said Lursen.
“VT-Flex 435 has a broad range of variability allowing the operator to read the soil and make appropriate adjustments throughout the day. We have a little bit of a concave blade which gives us a wide range of agronomic capabilities in terms of ground cover and showing black. We can get down to 30 or 40 percent remaining residue, if that’s what you want. We start at 60 to 70 percent and become more aggressive from that point.
“We have more than a 30 percent range for trash bury, from 30 or 40 percent up to 65 or 70 percent. Other vertical till machines only have a 15 percent range. We can do a lot more things with our VT machine.”
Lursen comments on the evolution of variable tillage. Originally, the disk would run true at zero degrees slicing into the earth without requiring huge horsepower. It was not intended to perform a lot of soil disturbance. Many early adapters bought VT machines to help dry out water-logged soil. But farmers gradually asked for more geometry in the discs, and engineers responded with geometry up to 12 degrees, which has become the commonly accepted far end of the range.
“It’s still categorized as VT, but it has become more intense. It has the high speed capability and cutting and mixing capability. And all working tools have rotary engagement with the soil.”
Gang angles are adjusted with the optional hydraulic kit, from zero to 12 degrees, depending on the desired finish and time of year. From the cab, the operator can adjust the front gangs independently from the rear gangs. A one-degree gang angle allows for efficient slicing of residue, while more aggressive angles up to 12 degrees allow for different levels of residue mixing. Twenty-inch shallow-concavity fluted blades help cut residue at shallow gang angles. This cuts and mixes residue with soil for faster breakdown.
The VT-Flex 435 is equipped with a TigerPaw Crumbler to produce uniform clod sizing and residue distribution. A standard walking tandem design on the main frame and wings provides balance and stability, reducing soil compaction while providing optimal depth control.
With capabilities down to four inches, the VT-Flex 435 offers single-point hydraulic depth control for quick and easy adjustments. A front T–hitch design allows for tight, efficient turning when space is at a premium. A transport width of 13 feet 7 inches enables the operator to get from field to field faster.
Case says cast-iron nodular spools and large arbor bolts make for greater durability. The machine is equipped with 20-inch Earth Metal VT wave blades. Flat, crimped blade centres create exceptional strength according to Lursen.
“This blade design has been around since the days of IH. The strength is provided by the crimp. You have a bit of concavity, then all of a sudden about two inches from the centre it has that bend, and it’s that point that creates the strength these blades are known for. That also provides us with a flat face on the blade where the flat face on the spool mates up.”
The Crumbler roller basket employs a spring down pressure design with formed bars to add strength. It sizes the clods down to one or two inches or smaller.
Lursen said the new VT tool is for a specific group of customers, mixed farms and small to midsize grain operations. It’s available in widths of 11 to 25 feet. Tractor requirements range from 65 to 250 horsepower. The VT-Flex 435 made its official debut on Sept. 21 and will be available for fall 2022.
